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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23124709">The Care and Keeping of Wolves</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sonderland/pseuds/sonderland'>sonderland</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff, Found Family, M/M, Multi, OT3, Polyamory, Soft Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, soft</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 01:07:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,387</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23124709</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sonderland/pseuds/sonderland</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Even the White Wolf of Rivia isn't all claws and fangs.</p><p>A series of vignettes, not necessarily in sequential order.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>276</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Care and Keeping of Wolves</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Geralt stared. "You're alive."<br/><br/>"Yes, and thank you very much for noticing. Now if you could please get me out of---mfffgh," Jaskier quite forgot where that sentence was going, because that was tongue, a lot of tongue, going right past his molars. Geralt was kissing him, rather insistently, and with no sign of stopping, despite the fact that he couldn't be tasting anything other than swamp, stray alghoul blood, and possibly whatever Jaskier had eaten for breakfast. Jaskier couldn't seem to recall, in that moment, because Geralt was doing something <em>very</em> distracting with his aforementioned tongue, and Jaskier's eyes were fluttering shut, and Geralt was<em> lifting him off of the ground</em>--<br/><br/>Somewhere behind Geralt, a thousand miles away, someone cleared their throat.<br/><br/>"Death doesn't seem to stick to you," said Yennefer, by way of greeting.<br/><br/>"Oh good, you're here." Geralt was now attempting to bury his face in the nook between Jaskier's neck and his shoulder, which was seriously impeding his ability to glare at Yennefer. "I had hoped that someone would interrupt this lovely moment."<br/><br/>"I wouldn't, but there is a child present."<br/><br/>"Oh, gods help me," Jaskier muttered, because there <em>was</em>. And she was looking up at him with more curiosity than scorn. She was waifish, with long blonde hair tied half-back in an approximation of Geralt's own usual style.<br/><br/>"You must be the bard," she said.<br/><br/>Jaskier beamed at Geralt. "You told your daughter about me."<br/><br/>"That's--hmn."</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>“I mean, have you ever <em>touched</em> Geralt's hair?"<br/><br/>Jaskier considered that. "Of course I have. I've <em>washed</em> it."<br/><br/>"Really." Yennefer smirked. "He never mentioned that."<br/><br/>"You didn't think I'd let him out in public looking like he did. Would you?"<br/><br/>"No, but I made him wash himself that time."<br/><br/>"Huh."<br/><br/>"But you've never touched it while it was <em>dry</em>."<br/><br/>"No, I suppose not."<br/><br/>Yennefer grinned.</p><p> </p><p><br/><br/>Jaskier attempted to creep up on Geralt. Which, admittedly, was a fool's errand.<br/><br/>"I'm trying to meditate, Jaskier," said Geralt, not opening his eyes.<br/><br/>"Right. Er..." Jaskier looked over to Yennefer, who raised an eyebrow. A challenge.<br/><br/>Geralt made no move to stop him. Jaskier sank his fingers into Geralt's hair.<br/><br/>"Oh, holy mother of--"<br/><br/>"I know," Yennefer grinned. "Like a bearskin rug."<br/><br/>"Better."<br/><br/>"I can hear both of you, you know."<br/><br/>"Ah. Right," Jaskier made to draw his hand away, but it was covered by a larger, stronger hand that guided it back down to where it was.<br/><br/>Geralt still hadn't opened his eyes.<br/><br/>"Why Witcher, you minx."<br/><br/>"Don't ruin it."</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Geralt rarely slept. Witchers didn't need much, he'd said. They slept a few hours a night, maybe, but not necessarily every night, and, anyway, meditating was good enough.<br/><br/>Jaskier had told him that that was bollocks.<br/><br/>After much coaxing, and a reassurance that Yennefer would be on the alert for anything unusual, Geralt had fallen asleep. He maintained a protective posture, even at rest; he lay flat on his stomach, one arm around Yennefer's waist, the other across Jaskier's shoulders.<br/><br/>As Geralt had fallen asleep, Jaskier had traced shapes into his skin, in and around the scars, murmuring songs. Yennefer had watched, a fond warmth blooming in her chest at the White Wolf baring his underbelly to be petted.<br/><br/>But now...<br/><br/>Jaskier opened one eye, glancing over to her. She had known he was awake for the last ten minutes.<br/><br/>"You know," said Jaskier, voice low so as not to wake the witcher, "I've had a terrible crick in my neck for at least half an hour."<br/><br/>"Oh?"<br/><br/>"Yes. But every time I try to move, this big lug just pulls me closer. Watch," Jaskier wiggled his shoulders, attempting to shift away.<br/><br/>Sure enough, Geralt gave an unconscious mumble, and tightened his grip, pulling Jaskier more fully along his side, clamping him in place with a muscular arm.<br/><br/>"Well," said Jaskier, "I guess we live here now."</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Between inns, and whatever local authorities Yennefer had managed to coerce, streams and rivers would have to suffice for baths. They were never as warm as Jaskier preferred, to say nothing of Geralt, who would've had them boiling or not at all, if given the choice. But he could be persuaded, especially in the middle of long treks, and traveling with company. </p><p> </p><p>Yennefer sniffed. "I can still smell you, you know."</p><p> </p><p>She stepped neatly out of the way to avoid a shower of droplets as Geralt shook out his wet hair. </p><p> </p><p>"She has a point," Jaskier tugged his chemise over his head. "It's not drowner this time, though."</p><p> </p><p>Yennefer shrugged. "There's always something that you can't wash away. A little bit of horse, maybe, but it's mostly you."</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>"It could be a witcher thing," Jaskier shrugged. "Or maybe just a you thing. I'll know once we get to Kaer Morhen."</p><p> </p><p>Geralt frowned, but Yennefer smirked. "I've always thought it was a side effect of the potions. That hint of sulfur and ash."</p><p> </p><p>"Maybe, but it's natural. More of the forest than the forge."</p><p> </p><p>"It's not bad," Yennefer mused, "Just odd."</p><p> </p><p>"We can't all smell like flowers and berries and rosin," muttered Geralt.</p><p> </p><p>"Rosin?"</p><p> </p><p>"Rosin, and scorpion grass."</p><p> </p><p>Jaskier flushed. "Forget-me-nots don't even have a smell."</p><p> </p><p>Geralt quirked a smile at him. "Maybe not to you."</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>On paper, Jaskier was almost of a height with Geralt.<br/><br/>In practice, however, no one who met the two of them would believe that. Geralt was large, broad, and intimidating. Jaskier stood, or sometimes leant; Geralt <em>loomed</em>.<br/><br/>It was more than that, Jaskier knew. Witchers were built to a different set of specifications than mortal men. There was something primordial about them, ancient and strange and unreal. Like a dragon, or an elk, or...well.<br/><br/>There was a gravitas about Geralt. Sure, he had no manners to speak of, but it was in the way that he <em>moved</em>. It was an animal grace, a predator's poise. Something engineered for efficiency and power.<br/><br/>Next to him, Jaskier felt small. Beside him, Jaskier felt invincible.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>They were passing the night in another manse that Yennefer had procured, and by less dubious means, allegedly.</p><p> </p><p>Geralt was being spoiled.</p><p> </p><p>They all lounged on the rugs by the hearth in varying states of undress, Jaskier behind him, peppering kisses onto his shoulders, Yennefer reclining in front, slicing pears with an unnecessarily sharp knife and feeding the pieces to Geralt.</p><p> </p><p>She kept her fingers by Geralt's lips as he chewed and swallowed, and he took her fingertips into his mouth, licking at the stray juice there, sticky and sweet.</p><p> </p><p>Jaskier nipped his shoulder, petulant. "I'm still here, you know."</p><p> </p><p>Geralt rolled his eyes, but turned his head to kiss him. Jaskier leaned into it, humming with satisfaction.</p><p> </p><p>Yennefer smiled, but <em>tsked</em>. "Greedy."</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, that wasn't for him," Jaskier smacked his lips, "I just like pears."</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>"Jaskier!" Cirilla beamed, bounding over to him.</p><p> </p><p>Ciri looked wildly out of place in Kaer Morhen, Jaskier mused, a bright golden child in the dismal, crumbling keep. But in the short weeks that they'd been there, she had already enlivened the place. She was alien to the other witchers at first, a bemusing novelty at best and a liability at worst, but Geralt's faith in her had earned her a certain degree of respect. Now, they would sometimes watch their training sessions, sometimes even shouting encouragements. Ciri was learning fast.</p><p> </p><p>Maybe a little too fast. She bounced up to Jaskier and hugged him. Her embrace was more crushing than he would've believed her capable of. He wheezed. </p><p> </p><p>"I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" Ciri let him go. Jaskier couldn't quite suppress a wince as the air came back into his lungs. "I didn't mean to!"</p><p> </p><p>"That's just the adrenaline." Geralt, as ever, was just a few paces behind her. "You'll learn to control it, with practice."</p><p> </p><p>Ciri still frowned. Jaskier ruffled her already-ruffled hair.</p><p> </p><p>"You're fine, Ciri. And don't worry, I've had worse. You know, the first time I met Geralt--"</p><p> </p><p>"--Is a story for another day." Geralt steered Ciri away. "You have lessons with Yennefer soon."</p><p> </p><p>"But <em>Geralt</em>--"</p><p> </p><p>"Go on, then," Jaskier grinned, "I'll tell you later."</p><p> </p><p>"Not if I get to you first," muttered Geralt.</p><p> </p><p>"Gross."</p><p> </p><p>Jaskier laughed, and Geralt growled, low and deep in his throat. Ciri rolled her eyes.</p><p> </p><p>"Come on, Geralt. Or I'll tell Yennefer that you two kept me."</p><p> </p><p>"She knows."</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was very much based on that one post on wolf facts. I hope you enjoyed!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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